Hand or power driving mechanism



' O 11. 1950 c. w. KUHN 2 525,915

HAND 0R POWER DRIVING MECHANISM Filed latch 18, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 66 H 7/ 29mm a5 /7 15/6714 66 a4 ak M 3k Patented Oct. 17, 1950 HAND OR POWER DRIVING MECHANISM Clarence W. Kuhn, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignor to Cutler-Hammer, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application March 18, 1946, Serlal No. 655,298

4 Claims; (Cl. '74625.)

This invention relates to driving mechanisms for apparatus such as bulkhead doors.

The invention relates more particularly to bulkhead door operators of the automatically controlled motor driven :type wherein provision is made for effecting manual operation of the.

door in an emergency. g

The invention has among its objects to :provide an improved unitary bulkhead door operator of the aforesaid type which provides a limited torque drive for closure of the door, and a positive drive for opening thereof.

Another object is to provide a unitary bulkhead door operator of the aforesaid type in which the manual operating mechanism is normally connected to the motor drive and is automatically controlled to provide for disconnection thereof from the motor drive upon energization of the driving motor and for re-connection thereto after a predetermined interval upon deenergization of the driving motor.

Another object is to provide a unitary bulkhead door operator of the aforesaid type which is exceedingly compact and rugged in construction, positive and reliable in operation and which is capable of being readily applied to bulkhead door installations in various positions to suit different drive arrangements.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention which will now be described, it being understood that various modifications may be made in the embodiment i1- lustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a schematic and diagrammatic view of a bulkhead door operating system-embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view illustrating certain of the parts shown in Fig. 1 in another position; v

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of aunitary bulkhead door operator embodying the operating mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1; I

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on lines 4-4 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a side view ofthe operator illustrated in Fig. 3 with parts of the enclosing casing broken away.

Referring to Fig. 1,:an operating :mechanism embodying the invention .isshown in connection with a slidable bulkhead :door I having a pair of operating racks 2-2 fixed thereto which V 2 I are driven by pinions 3-4 fixed to an operating shaft 4. .As shown the operating mechanism includes a worm 5 and an associated worm wheel 6 which iscoupled to shaft 4 through the medium of a clutch Z1. Worm 5 i provided with an operating shaft 8 which is operatively connected to a driving motor 9 through the medium .of spur gears I0 and LL. As hereinafter set forth, shaft 8 is; also provided with a manual operating mechanism J 2.

More specifically, clutch I includes driving and driven elements [3 and I 4 having opposing faces provided with a plurality of interfittinjg serrated teeth L5. The teeth [5 on said elements are shaped to provide cooperating axially disposed faces l6 and cooperating inclined camfaces ll. Driven element 14 is coupled to operating shaft 4 of the bulkhead door and is provided with an upwardly extending shaft extension IB. Driving element [3 is provided with an upwardly extending sleeve extension I9 which surrounds shaft I8 and is connected to worm wheel 6 .by a spline driving connection 20 to permit upward axial movement of said driving element withrespect to driven element l4. Drivin element 13 is yieldingly held in engagement with the driven element M by a plurality of helical springs 2| which are held under compression between wall 22 and anon-rotatable thrust plate .23 which rides upon a shoulder 24 on sleeve [9 of driving element [3.

From the foregoing it is apparent that when motor 9 is energized to operate worm wheel 6 in the direction ,of arrow C power is transmitted to the door operating shaft 4 through the medium of the cam faces I! of clutch elements l3 and 14 in a direction to effect closure of door I. When door I is moved into closed position under'the action of 'a predetermined force which is determined by the slope of cam faces Hand by the biasing force of springs 2|, driving element t3 slips with respect to driven element l4 and is moved upwardly by said cam faces :against the action of said springs. On theother hand, when motor 9 is energized to operate worm wheel=*6 in the direction of arrow 0 power is transmitted from said worm wheel :to shaft 4 through the medium of the axially disposed faces IS on clutch elements l3 and M to provide a positive drive for opening of door I.

hereinafter set forth, operation of motor M-pin door closing direction is controlled by a normally closed thrust responsive limit switch 26, and operation thereof in door opening direction is controlled by a position limit switch 21. Limit switch 26 is operatively connected to thrust plate 23 by a push rod 28 to provide for opening thereof upon upward movement of driving element i3 against the action of springs 2|. Limit switch 21 is operated from worm shaft 8 through the medium of spur gears 29 and 38, the latter being fixed to said shaft. Limit switch 27 is arranged to open when door is moved into open position and to close immediately upon movement of said door out of such position.

The motor 9 illustrated in Fig. l is of a direct current type to be supplied with current from a direct current supply circuit indicated by lines L L The power connections for motor 9 are controlled by a pair of double pole electromagnetically operated reversing switches 32 and 33 and in ship bulkhead installations provision is usually made for controlling these switches from a point adjacent the bulkhead door and also from a control panel located in the wheelhouse of the ship. However, such control means does not enter into the present invention, but in order to set forth the operation of applicants system a simplified control is shown consisting of a conventional control switch 34 which may be located adjacent the bulkhead door. As shown this switch is movable in opposite directions out of an intermediate off position to selectively engage stationary contacts 34 and 34 Assuming that door is in open position as shown in the drawing and it is desired to close the same, switch 34 is operated to engage its associated stationary contact 34 The operating winding of reversing switch 33 is then connected across lines Ii -L through the medium of limit switch 26 and upon response of said reversing switch, motor 9 is energized to operate in door closing direction. When said door is moved into closed position under the action of a predetermined force the driving element I3 of clutch is moved upwardly against the action of springs 2| and limit switch 26 is opened to deenergize switch 33 for stopping of motor 9. Assuming that door is in closed position and it is desired to open the same, switch 34 is moved into engagement with its associated stationary contact 34. The operating winding of reversing switch 32 is then connected across lines L L through the medium of limit switch 21 and upon response of said reversing switch motor 9 is energized for operation in door opening direction. When door I is moved into full open position limit switch 21 is opened to deenergize reversing switch 32 for stopping of motor 9.

As hereinbefore stated, shaft 8 is provided with a manual operating mechanism 12, and as illustrated in Fig. 1 this mechanism includes a driving spur gear 35 which is fixed to a manual operating shaft 36 and an intermediate spur gear 31 which meshes with the former spur gear and is movable into and out of meshing engagement with the spur gear 30 on worm shaft 8. Shaft 36 has a bell crank 38 rotatably mounted thereon which is provided with arms 39 and 40. Gear 31 is rotatably mounted upon bell crank arm 39 and bell crank arm 49 has an operating toggle associated therewith comprising a pair of levers 4| and 42. Lever 4| has one end pivotally connected to a stationary support 43 and lever 42 has one end pivotally connected to the free end of lever 4| and its opposite end pivotally connected to the free end of bell crank arm 40. The toggle levers 4| and 42 are normally held against means of a crank 48.

a limit switch 26 andthe gearing a fixed stop 44 by springs 45, as shown in Fig. 1, and with the toggle levers in this position bell crank arm 39 is held against a fixed stop 46 to maintain gear 31 in meshing engagement with gear 30. Shaft 36 is thus normally coupled to worm shaft 8 through the medium of gears 35, 37 and 30 to provide for manual operation of door I in opening or closing direction.

In ship installations provision is usually made for operating the bulkhead door from a point adjacent the door by means of a crank 41, or from a point above the waterline of the ship by As illustrated in Fig 1 these cranks are arranged to operate shaft 36 through the medium of a shaft 49 and a pair of bevel gears 50.

The above described manual operating mechanism is provided with automatic control means for disconnecting the same from worm shaft 8 immediately upon energization of motor 9 and for reconnecting the same theretoupon stopping of said mo'tor. -'This control means comprises an operating solenoid having a stationary winding 5| and a movable plunger 52 which is operatively connected to the toggle levers 4| and 42. Winding 5| is shunted by a condenser 53 and it is connected as shown inFig. l to provide for energization thereof from lines L L upon closure of 'either of the reversing switches 32 and 33 by auxiliary contacts a associated with said switches.

Winding 5| is thus energized immediately upon energization of motor 9 to move toggle levers 4| and 42 from the position shown in Fig. 1 into the position shown in Fig. 2. Upon movement of the toggle levers 4| and 42 into the position shown in Fig. 2 bell crank 38 in operated to move gear 3'! out of mesh with gear 3|] to thereby disconnect the manual operating mechanism from worm shaft 8. Upon deenergization of motor 9 solenoid winding 5| is disconnected from lines L -L and is then maintained energized for a temporary period by a discharge current from condenser 53. Condenser 53 is designed so that the discharge current thereof maintains solenoid plunger 52 in its attracted position until motor 9 is brought substantially to rest, and upon release of said plunger toggle levers 4| and 42 are returned to the position shown in Fig. 1 under the action of springs to move gear 37 into mesh with gear 30 for reestablishment of the driving connection between shaft 36 and worm shaft 8.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the above described mechanism is housed within a rectangular enclosing casing 55 to provide a self-contained unit. Motor 9 is secured to one side of casing 55 and as shown in Fig. 4 said casing is provided with an interior wall 56 which provides a chamber 5! for receiving worm wheel 6 and its associated worm 5, and a second chamber 58 for receiving associated with the manual operating mechanism |2. Also as shown in Fig. 3, casing 55 has a skirt 59 formed on the underside thereof which provides a chamber 60 for receiving clutch and its associated springs 2|.

As-shown in Fig. 3, the top wall 6| of casing 55 has a bearing 62 formed on the underside thereof and the bottom wall 63 of said casing has abearing 64 secured within anopen'ing therein by screws 65; Worm wheel 5 is held against axial movement between the opposing faces of bearings 52 and 54, and these bearings are bored to receive the sleeve extension |9 on clutch element I3. Clutch element |4=has a circular coupling flange 66 formed on the underside thereof and the shaft ass-ass extension i6 of sa'id clutch element extends upwardly beyond top wall 6| of the enclosing casing and has a circular coupling flange 61 fixed to the upper endthereof. The thrust plate 23 associated with clutch element |3 is supported upon the shoulder .24 of said element by a ball thrust bearing. 68 and the springs 2| are held under compression between said plate and bottom wall 63 of the enclosing casing. Clutch element I4 is held against downward axial movement under the action of springs 2| by a ball thrust bearing 69 which is interposed between coupling flange 61 and top wall 6| of the enclosing casing.

Enclosing casing 55 has,a mounting plate '10 secured to its top wall 6| which is bored to receive coupling flange 61 and said casing also has a mounting plate secured to the lower end of skirt 59 which is bored to receive coupling flange 66. These mounting plates permit mounting of the unit for operation of the bulkhead door from either of the coupling flanges 66 or 61.

As shown in Fig. 4, the right hand end of worm shaft 8 is supported within chamber 51 by a ball bearing 12. and the left hand end thereof extends through an opening in wall 56 of the enclosing casing and is supported therein by a combined radial and thrust ball bearing 13. Gear 30 is fixed to the left hand end of worm shaft 8 and the manual operating mechanism l2 associated with said gear is carried by a cover 14 which is removably secured to casing 55.

As shown in Fig. 4, cover 14 is formed to provide, a bearing 15 for receiving shaft 36 of the manual operating mechanism, and said cover is also formed'to provide a recess 15 for receiving solenoid Winding The inner end of shaft 36 is supported within an opening in a projection 11 on casing wall 55 and bell crank 38is provided with spaced hub portions 18 and 19 which are located on opposite sides of gear 35 and are supported between projection 11 and bearing 15. Solenoid winding 5| and its associated plunger 52 are carried by a frame 80 which is mounted within the recess 16, and as shown in Fig. 5 the toggle levers 4| and 42 are operable by said plunger in a plane parallel to the axis of shaft 36. The springs 45 associated with toggle levers 4| and 42 are held under compression between said levers and the solenoid frame 80 and the stationary support 43 for toggle lever 4| comprises an inwardly extending projection 8| on said frame. The stop 44 for toggle levers 4| and 42 comprises a plate 82 which is secured to projection 8| and the stop 46 for bell crank arm 39 comprises a projection formed on the inner face of cover 14.

The thrust limit switch 26 is located within chamber 58 and is mounted upon an insulating panel 83 which is secured to projections 84 on casing wall 56. As shown in Fig. 3 the operating push rod 28 for this switch extends upwardly from thrust plate 23 and is slidably supported within an opening in the bottom casing wall 63.

The position limit switch 21 is mounted upon cover 14 and is provided with an operating shaft shown in dotted lines (Fig. 4) which is driven as shown in Fig. 5 from worm shaft 8 through the medium of gears 29 and 30. The specific construction of limit switches 26 and 21 need not be considered since the present invention is not concerned therewith.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a power transmission mechanism and a driving motor therefor,

exaggerate mien assess armamnism' comprising amanually rotatable operating member and a gear drive'between" said member normally Llocking said gears in meshing relation and electromagnetic operating means associated with said toggle .iniechanism for moving said gears out of meshingrelation upon energization of said 'motor'and for permitting return thereof to meshing relation upon deenergization of said motor.

2. -Theoombination with a'power transmission mechanism and a driving motor therefor, of a manual drive for an element of said mechanism comprising a manually rotatable operating member and a gear drive between said member and said element including a pair of cooperating gears movable into and out of meshing relation to connect and disconnect said manual operating member'from said element, a toggle mechanism for normally maintaining said gears in meshing relation, electromagnetic operating means associated with said toggle mechanism for moving said gears out of meshing relation upon energization of said motor and for permitting return thereof to meshing relation upon deener-' gization of said motor, and means associated with said electromagnetic operating mechanism for preventing return of said gears into meshing relation for a predetermined interval upon deenergization of said motor.

3. In an operating mechanism for driving apparatus such as bulkhead doors, in combination, an enclosing casing, a reversible driving motor mounted upon said casing, a rotatable drive shaft mounted within said casing and having exposed coupling parts located at opposite ends of said casing, a driving mechanism between said motor and said shaft located within said casing and including a clutchhaving cooperating spring engaged parts of the spiral jaw type which operate to provide a positive drive between said motor and said shaft upon operation of said motor in one direction and which slip with respect to each other when said shaft is subjected to a predetermined load during operation of said motor in an opposite direction, and means carried by said casing and associated with an element of said driving mechanism to afford hand operation of said shaft, said casing and all of said parts carried thereby constituting a self-contained unit which is capable of being mounted in a fixed position upon the apparatus to be driven and coupled todrive such apparatus through the medium of either of said coupling parts.

4. In an operating mechanism for apparatus such as bulkhead doors, in combination, an enclosing casing, a reversible driving motor mounted upon said casing, a rotatable drive shaft mounted within said casing and having exposed coupling parts located at opposite ends of said casing, a driving mechanism between said motor and said shaft located within said casing and including a clutch having cooperating spring engaged parts of the spiral jaw type which operate to provide a positive drive between said motor and said shaft upon operation of said motor in one direction and which slip with respect to each other when said'shaft is subjected to a'predetermined load during operation of said motor in an opposite direction and a manual operating awe 7 mechanism carried by said casing and including a manually rotatable operating member which is normally coupled to said driving mechanism and is automatically disconnected therefrom immediately upon energization of said driving motor, said casing and all of the parts carried thereby constituting a self-contained unit which is capable of being mounted in a fixed position upon the apparatus to be driven thereby and coupled to drive such apparatus through the medium of either of said coupling parts.

CLARENCE W. KUHN.

file of this patent:

Number 8 2 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Cowles Jan. 30, 1906 Harvey -1 Jan. 1, 1924 .Brockway June 17, 1924 Maurer Dec. 31, 1935 Knight Oct. 19, 1937 Allen Dec. 19, 1939 Forstrom July 16, 1940 Lum Feb. 18, 1941 Bruckel June 16, 1942 Hodgson July 13, 1943 Vallen June 12, 1945 Fawkes Oct. 16, 1945 Hodgson Dec. 25, 1945 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,525,915 October 17, 1950 CLARENCE W. KUHN It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 4, line 36, for the Word in second occurrence, read is; column 8, list of references cited, after Dec. 25, 1945 insert the following:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 131,788 Germany June 18, 1902 and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of February, A. D. 1951.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction Patent N 0. 2,525,915 October 17, 1950 CLARENCE W. KUHN It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 4;, line 36, for the Word in second occurrence, read '58; column 8, list of references cited, after Dec. 25, 1945 insert the following:

FOREIGN PATENTS N umber Country Date 131,788 Germany June 18, 1902 and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office. Signed and sealed this 20th day of February, A. D. 1951.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

